


The Face and The Heart

by KrimsonMistress



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Canon Gay Relationship, Drama & Romance, Episode: Big Finish Audio Drama 2.5: Broken, Heart of the TARDIS, Immortal Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness is the Face of Boe, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-19 00:18:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12399213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrimsonMistress/pseuds/KrimsonMistress
Summary: Jack lost everything. His boyfriend, his grandson and his daughter. But right when the grief starts to eat him up, Ianto comes back to life. Now Torchwood has to find out how this is even possible...





	1. Resistant

All Jack could feel was pain. It seemed to eat him up from the inside. This had been the worst day of his life. Not only had he lost Ianto, now it was also Steven and Alice. A necessary sacrifice for the greater good, yes, but he still sent his own grandson to die. He couldn’t blame his daughter for never wanting to see him again after this.

He walked through his now empty world back to the hall where the bodies of all the victims still were lying on red sheets. A last goodbye to Ianto…. then he would go. Somewhere else. Far away.

 

His heart stopped for a second. Ianto’s sheet was empty and the second one that had been covering him was missing now.

“Hey!” Jack run towards a nearby soldier. “Where is Ianto?!”

“Who?”

“Ianto! One of the victims! His sheet is empty!”

“That’s impossible. Nobody came in.”

Jack grabbed the man’s collar. “His corpse is missing and you’re gonna help me find him or I swear to god, I’ll kill you.”

A little bit of fear shone in the soldier’s eyes. “Sir, please step back.”

“Forget it!” Jack run off and searched through all the bodies. No Ianto. He searched through the nearby rooms. No Ianto.

 

After over an hour Jack finally left the building. His eyes were burning and he just couldn’t get why somebody would steal his Ianto away.

Suddenly he heard a loud coughing and some fluid splashing on the ground from the side of the building. More out of curiosity than sympathy he went there, wanting to see the person who apparently was throwing their brains up.

On his way Jack noticed blue-green goo on the ground. He suddenly was very alarmed. This wasn’t normal barf, this was something else. Something extraterrestrial.

He put a hand on his gun, ready to shoot if necessary, and walked around the corner. The gun fell to the ground with a loud banging sound.

Leaning his hands and head on the wall, a big blue-green puddle between his legs and still as pale as a corpse, stood Ianto, the red sheet on his shoulders.

“Are you a… zygon?”, Jack asked quietly. He already knew that he wasn’t. He knew a zygon when he saw one.

“Jack…” Ianto looked at him. His eyes were full of tears and his mouth smudgy with the alien goo. “It hurts…”

“How… how are you still alive?” Jack felt tears flowing down his cheeks.

“I don’t know…” Ianto had to throw up again and spat more of the stuff to the ground. “I… I just woke up and… felt so sick… I didn’t want to puke on the bodies… so I went here…”

Jack put a cruddy plastic bag from the nearby rubbish container. “Here. Spit in there.”

Ianto looked at him with one of his annoyed glances but followed his order nevertheless. Jack took back the bag.

“I’ll analyze that. Before I’m done you’re under surveillance.”

“Jack… I know this looks bad and… like I’m an alien but…” Ianto sobbed and wiped over his eyes. “I’m so scared. Everything hurts… and… I….” He spat on the ground again.

Jack couldn’t help himself but to hug him. This was Ianto. His Ianto. The behaviour, the voice, the smell… it was all Ianto.

“I don’t know what’s going on yet but I swear to god, I won’t lose you. Come!” He took Ianto’s hand and run back into the building with him. In the basement he had located a secret lab before. With bitter force he opened the door and pulled Ianto in.

“You. Sit down and try not to puke on anything.” He went to the computer and hacked in. Tosh had taught him a lot of things that were for use now. He activated the bio-scanner and poured the content of the plastic bag on it. The computer analysed the data.

“Impossible…”, Jack murmured when the result was shown.

“What? What is it?”, Ianto asked.

“The virius. You’re… spitting out the virus that killed you.”

“I’m… resistant?”

“No. You were dead. That isn’t resistance.”

“Maybe… you’re contagious.”

“No. I’ve slept with a lot of people and no one got immortal after it.”

Ianto sighed. “I… I’m not immortal… or am I?”

“You’re not like me, that’s for sure. My body just exterminates everything that kills me and heals every wound. Your body seems more like it has to get all the stuff out manually. I don’t know. This is new.”

“How…?”

“I really don’t know.” Jack looked back at Ianto. “And at the moment I really don’t care.” He hugged him close.

“I’m sorry for… getting all emotional.”, Ianto murmured. “I… I thought I’d die and…”

“Don’t justify yourself. I’d kiss you now but you’re kinda gross.”

Ianto had to laugh. “I think it’s all out though. I feel much better.”

“Oh shit…”

“What?”

“I sent Gwen and Rhys off to your sister to tell her that you died.”

“Oh.” Ianto laughed silently. “Well then we should go there and give them a little surprise.”

“After you’ve washed your mouth out.”

“Yes, sir.”

 

It didn’t take Jack and Ianto long to arrive at Rhiannon’s house. After Ianto quickly washed all alien goo from his body in the bathroom, they flew there with another helicopter. Ianto enjoyed it like a little child because he obviously never flew in a helicopter before.

“What do you tell people who think you’re dead and probably are grieving about you?”, Ianto asked as he knocked the door.

“I’d go with hello.” Jack grinned.

 

Johnny opened the door. His mouth started forming a big o when he recognised his brother-in-law.

“Rhiannon!”, he screamed without even saying hello.

“Not now!”, she yelled back. “Send them off.”

“Trust me, you don’t want that!”

“Maybe we’ll just… get in.”, Ianto said with a smile and entered the house. Jack followed up on him.

 

Rhiannon was sitting on the couch and buried her face in a wet tissue.

“Hello…”, Ianto said carefully.

Rhiannon looked up. He eyes widened and before he could say anything else she already held him in a bone-crushing hug.

“They told me you died!”, she cried.

“I did. But I came back.” Ianto had to cry himself and held her tight.

“How?”

“I got revived.”

“I’m so glad.” Rhiannon gave him a wet kiss. “Don’t you dare dying again.”

“I won’t.” He smiled a little.

Rhiannon now gazed behind him where Jack was standing. “Is that… your…?”, she quietly asked.

Ianto let go of her and turned around. Jack smiled broadly and shook hands with her.

“I’m Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto’s boyfriend.”

Ianto blushed deep on these words.

“Rhiannon Davies.” She looked from Jack back to Ianto. “Oh my god, he really is good-looking!”

“Rhiannon…”

“Oh, please continue. What else did he tell you?” Jack rested one hand on Ianto’s shoulder.

“Jack. Please.”

“Okay, okay.” Jack put on his serious face. “Where are Gwen and Rhys?”

“They’re off to bring the all children home.”

“Good… they’re safe. They’re all safe now.”

“It’s over?”, Ianto asked.

“Yes. The 456 are gone.”

“You did it.” Ianto smiled proudly at him. It broke Jack’s heart.

“No.” He shook his head. “I had to do something horrible. Something you’d never imagine. Don’t be proud of me.”

Ianto took Jack’s hands. “Tell me. Please let me help.”

“I had no choice…” Jack’s voice broke and tears were running down his cheeks. “It was the only way…”

Ianto hugged him tight. He never saw Jack lose his contenance before and it terrified him to see him like that. He laid one hand on Jack’s back of the head and pushed him gently on his chest.

“Can I… do something for you?”, Rhiannon asked a bit overstrained.

“Yes. Call Gwen and tell her I’m alive so that she doesn’t have to worry anymore. I’m gonna bring Jack home.”

“But Ianto…”

“Please, I’ll call you soon, I’ll become a better brother and visit you from time to time but not right now. I have to go now.”

“Yes, sure, but do you have a car?”

Ianto grinned. “Even better.”

 

The helicopter landed right in front of their apartment house on the street. Both he and Jack got out and it left again.

“I love helicopters…”, Ianto mumbled what made Jack smile at least a little.

They went upstairs and sat down on the couch then. Jack fell back in Ianto’s arms without a word. His lover just caressed through his hair and over his back.

“I… I killed my grandson.”, Jack finally said.

Ianto looked at him in shock but didn’t say anything. He obviously wanted Jack to talk.

“I needed one child… just one… to save all the others. It is a reasonable decision, right? Sacrifice one to save thousands. But… it was my grandson. Steven. I had to make this decision, I had to bring this sacrifice. I didn’t look away. I listened to the screams of my daughter I locked out so that she couldn’t stop me. I completely understand that she doesn’t want to have contact anymore and that I lost her, too. But losing Steven… losing Alice… losing you…”

“I came back.” Ianto held him tight. “And I’ll never leave again. Because… because I love you.”

Jack sat up again to be face to face with Ianto. “And I love you.”

Ianto opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. A single tear dripped down his cheek and he just kissed Jack, holding him tight and crawling onto his shirt.

“I have lied to you”, Ianto murmured. “I like the word couple.”


	2. Ice-Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwen gets a late-night phone call and Ianto fancies some late-night ice-cream.

Gwen didn’t want to take the call first. It was an unknown number and she wasn’t in the mood for trouble right now. She and Ianto had never been that close, rather colleagues than friends, but nevertheless had he become a big part of her life just like every other Torchwood member.

That’s how Jack must feel like, she thought. Three of her friends died but how many goodbyes did Jack have had to endure?

Rhys was already asleep, compensating the exhausting day. But she couldn’t even close her eyes. It wasn’t only seeing Ianto’s dead body. It also was Jack reaching out for her. He pretended like he wanted to comfort her, but she wasn’t dumb. She did feel his body shaking. It was him who needed the comfort, even though he never would have admitted it.

Then the phone disturbed her thoughts. An unknown user. She didn’t take it but it tried again. So she finally gave in and grabbed the phone.

“Hello, this is Gwen Cooper speaking. Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Oh thank god, finally!”, a female voice shouted on the other end. It took her a few seconds to identify it as the one of Ianto’s sister.

“Rhiannon? Why are you calling me? Is something wrong? Did something happen to the children?” She sat up in bed. Rhys let out an annoyed grunt.

“No, no, everything’s fine!” Rhiannon let out a laugh. “It’s… it’s a miracle!”

“A miracle? What happened?”

“Ianto! Ianto is alive!”

“What?!” Gwen jumped out of the bed, already grabbing her clothes. “Where is he?! Is he with you?”

“No, no, he went off with his boyfriend.” She chuckled. “They probably want some alone-time.”

“Oh, I see.” She sat down on the bed again. “But how is this possible? I… I saw his dead body.”

“I honestly don’t know, he didn’t tell me and to be honest, I don’t even care. I’m just glad to have my baby brother back.” She let out a quiet sobbing followed by a laugh. “But I kinda hate him because he said I should call you but I didn’t even have your number so I’ve been searching like an idiot for it.”

Gwen had to laugh to. The relief took over her body. “Thank you for not giving up on finding it.”

“You have a right to know. He is your friend, right?”

“Yes… yes, he is.” Gwen nodded even though Rhiannon couldn’t see that.

“Then tell me… is this guy – Jack – is he good for him?” Now the curious and worried sister was speaking.

“Yes.” Gwen had to laugh a little. “Yes, he is. Ianto was… different when I met him first. He was always smiling but it was just a face for the world to hide his broken self. Jack fixed him. He doesn’t hide anymore.”

“That’s good to hear.” Rhiannon let out a sigh. “He’s always like that. He just bottles up and hides his feelings. He didn’t even cry on dad’s funeral. Or mom’s.”

“Your parents are both dead?”

“Yes. So I’m glad to hear he is in good hands now. He is just a lonely boy who tries too hard to fit in.” Rhiannon sighed. “He always had a hard time in making friends and dealing with life. He even had a metal phase.”

“Ianto?” Now Gwen had to laugh on the thought of him wearing black nails and long hair.

“Yeah, it wasn’t that funny though. He drank a lot of booze back then and even got caught shop-lifting once.” Rhiannon sighed. “Anyway, I’m glad he’s doing fine.”

“He is. Trust me. We’re taking care of him.” Gwen smiled a little. “Thank you for telling me. I think I’ll finally be able to sleep now.”

“Sleep it all out, dear.” Rhiannon paused for a second. “And please call me if that Jack hurts him so that I can come and beat up his ass.”

Gwen laughed. “I will. Promise.”

“Thank you. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Gwen fell back on the bed, a huge smile on her face. She suddenly felt so relived. Smiling, she crawled back under the blanked and snuggled onto Rhys’ back only to fall asleep a few seconds later 

 

Jack and Ianto were laying in the bed. It was late but none of them could sleep. Ianto held Jack tight to his chest, both arms wrapped around him. He did cry a lot that night. They both did.

Ianto tried hard to make Jack feel better with kisses, snuggles, coffee… but in the end the most effective method was to just hold him.

“Are you still awake?”, Jack asked after a while.

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to stay awake because of me, you know?”

“I know. It’s not just because auf you. It’s… because everything. I mean, I died. But I’m not dead. But I’m not immortal either. I’m just a normal human…”

“I know these feelings well. I’ve gone through them too.” Jack looked up at him.

“How did you get immortal? Because of that doctor?”

“No… but yes, it has to do with him.” Jack sighed. “He has this… this spaceship, you know? He can travel through time and space with it and it’s alive, it’s got a heart. And when Rose looked into the heart she absorbed it… I was dead but she revived me with the power of the heart. Since then I can’t die anymore.”

“I… I don’t think I fully get this.”

“Don’t worry. Me neither.” Jack rested a hand on Ianto’s cheek. “But you weren’t there. It’s impossible that you got immortal on the same way.”

“If I’m immortal. I feel pretty mortal.”

“You don’t feel different. I only found out because I didn’t age and… well, didn’t die.”

“So… if I somehow got immortal…” Ianto looked into Jack’s eyes. “We don’t have to say goodbye.”

“I’m sick of saying goodbye…” Jack slipped up to give Ianto a kiss.

“I won’t leave you. Even if you get sick of me after a while.”

“Ianto, I would never get sick of you. Maybe seeing someone on the side, but…”

Ianto clouted his head. “No romances. Only sex.”

“Did you just give me the permission to have one-night-stands?”

“I can’t stop you from having them. And I’m okay with it, if you come back to me. Besides, maybe we should try… having some group activities one day.”

“I’ve tainted you to the core, haven’t I?”

“Yep.”

They both had to laugh. Jack rested his head on Ianto’s shoulder and laid an arm over his torso. It wasn’t usual for him to cuddle like that but Ianto enjoyed it. He leaned his head against Jack’s and closed his eyes.

“I actually like cuddling”, Jack admitted all of a sudden. “The earth can be so cold.”

“Well, you could go live in the desert.” Ianto smiled.

Jack laughed a little. “I did. Somehow.”

Ianto looked at him. “Really?”

“The Boeshane Peninsula.”

“Never heard of it.”

“That’s because it doesn’t exist yet. It is the place where I was born in the 51st century.” Jack smiled a little. “It was all sand dunes and beaches. We lived in a house at the water and could go swimming every day…” Jack stared into nothingness for a second. “It was a peaceful simple life. At least for a while.”

“Sounds beautiful.”

“Yeah, but then _they_ came. I lost my brother. My father died. That was the moment when I decided to become a soldier. To protect the ones who were left. To protect my mother.”

“That’s really amazing.” Ianto kissed his forehead. “You’re such a hero.”

“I’m no hero.” Jack looked at him. “I just want to repair all the stuff I’ve screwed up.”

“We’re all screwed up.” Ianto smiled a little. “We’re all broken.”

“I haven’t heard you talking like that for a while.”

“Because you fixed me. You gave me meaning again.”

Jack sat up and wrapped both arms around Ianto. “I’ve seen the universe. Whole other worlds. Aliens. Lots of kinky stuff. But I’ve never seen someone like you before.”

“You’re so sentimental today.”

“Special circumstances.”

“I like it. You never told me so many things about yourself before. That’s what I’ve always wanted.”

“I thought you’re not much of a talker.”

“Well, yes, but I tell you everything nonetheless. Let’s not argue about that now.”

“Who’s arguing?” Jack gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

“Don’t know.” Ianto smiled at him. “How about we eat some ice-cream?”

“Ice-cream…?”

“I think we deserve ice-cream.” Ianto caressed through Jack’s hair. “And lots of whipped cream.”

“Oh, I can give you that.” Jack smirked.

Ianto grimaced. “No thanks.”

“Hey, you never complained!”

“Not on my ice-cream.”

“You sound like a cute little youngster.” Jack grinned.

“Then you’re an old greasy pedophile.”

“Greasy?!”

“That’s the part you’re worrying about?” Ianto sighed. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

“Then I better run or else I’ll get eaten.”

“Nom.” Ianto bit the air.

Laughing, Jack jumped out of the bed and ran to the kitchen. Ianto followed up and finally caught him in the small area between the dining table and the fridge. He pressed him against it and they shared a passionate kiss.

“Got you.” Ianto grabbed behind Jack’s back and opened the fridge.

“Oh my god, that’s cold!” Jack stepped aside.

“Scared of freezing your balls?”

“You know that I’m not…”

“Oh, you were. And you screamed like a little baby.”

“I did not!”

“You did. I’ve still got it on tape.”

“I told you to delete that…”

“I would never. And you will never find it.” Ianto grabbed into the fridge and pulled out a few ice-cream boxes.

“Whoa, why do we have so many? Do you live from these?”, Jack asked a little impressed.

“Pretty much, yes.”

“You… you can’t just live from coffee, pizza and ice-cream!”

“Well, you never do the grocery shopping. So I buy what I want.”

“That will change. Do we even have vegetables or fruit?”

“I think there’s an apple lying around somewhere. How long are they eatable?”

“Okay, whoa.” Jack lifted his hands. “Stop living like a bachelor.”

“You sound like my mom.” Ianto smiled at him.

“I think someone is sleeping on the couch tonight…” Jack crossed his arms.

“Couch, TV and ice-cream.” Ianto shrugged. “Works for me.”

“Now I get why you’ve become so fat.”

“Oy!” Ianto crossed his arms. “I’m not. I’ve got a normal BMI.”

“Normal for pigs.”

“I’m the pig farmer. Not the pig.”

“Whatever.” Jack sighed. “Tomorrow we will do the grocery shopping together and there won’t be any kind of junk food and candy on the list.”

“You live from pizza most of the time by yourself…”

“Only at work.”

“Yeah. Like I said. Most of the time.” Ianto sat down at the table and opened one of the ice-cream boxes. “What’s your favourite taste? I’ve got Chocolate, Stracciatella, Coffee, Strawberry and Raspberry Ripple.”

Jack shook his head and sat down next to him. “I’ll go with Chocolate.”

Ianto opened the box and dipped in a spoon. “Open your mouth.”

“Oh please…”

“C’mon.”

Jack rolled his eyes and let Ianto feed him. Ianto took a spoon of the coffee ice-cream for himself then.

“Come here, coffee boy.” Jack pulled Ianto in a hot kiss, still tasting the coffee in his mouth like most of the time. Normally, Ianto drank about eight cups per day.

“Just eating it like that is boring”, Jack muttered against his lips. “There are lots of other creative ways to do it.”

“Are you sure?” Ianto looked at him. “I mean, are you okay?”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course I am.” Ianto took his hands. “I didn’t want to be rude or something… after what you’ve been through.”

“Well, since you died you surely had better days too.” Jack caressed through his hair.

“In all honesty…” Ianto now blushed a little. “It was the best day of my life.”

“What? Why that?” Jack got a little confused.

“You… you said you love me. I’ve been afraid all the time that you wouldn’t. That I’m just… a plaything. Easy to forget. But now I know. I know that… that I’m more to you.”

“Oh Ianto, you idiot…” Jack hugged him tight. “Of course you’re more to me. You’ve always been. It was your idea to make this an affair, not mine.”

“Yes, because I wasn’t sure. I… this was so new for me. I hated myself for it. I hated you for it…” Ianto took a deep breath. “I felt like cheating on Lisa.”

“Ianto…” Jack placed a hand on his cheek. “You were eating up everything at that time. Supressed feelings are the worst. They grow and grow until you eventually send your boss to an alien planet.”

“I’m sorry…”

“I forgave you that a long time ago. Practically with your reviving kiss.” Jack grinned a little. “And the following night.”

Ianto smiled. “I was so nervous and innocent back then.”

“It was really cute.” Jack started unbuttoning Ianto’s shirt.

“Huh…” Ianto grabbed his hips and pulled him closer. “Aren’t I cute anymore?”

“You’ve got the puppiest of all puppy faces.”

“Thanks… I guess.” They shared another passionate kiss.

“Come.” Jack took his hand and dragged him back to the bedroom. The ice-cream was left forgotten on the table, slowly melting into slimy soup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this chapter. :D  
> I hope you liked it so far and are hungry now. xP
> 
> ♥Lots of Love, Lucy

**Author's Note:**

> Immortal Ianto ftw! xD  
> Well, normally I'm all for drama and so on but I had this idea... and maybe you will like it. :D  
> And maybe not because Immortal Ianto is such a cliché but mayyybe you will give me chance. xD  
> As always: Sorry for eventual Grammar mistakes. uvu
> 
> ♥Lots of Love, Lucy


End file.
